Editor's Note

The Charge

They've decided to have a baby. It won't be as easy as they think.

Opening Statement

Little Girl: "I think when I grow up, I will marry a boy, because then
there will be less problems."

Facts of the Case

Lucie (Natalia Dontcheva) and Marion (Vanessa Larre) have been together for
over five years, and Lucie is ready to have a child. Marion is a little less
enthusiastic about the idea, but she agrees that if it's what Lucie really
wants, she'll go along with it. The problem is figuring out just how they want
to go about getting Lucie pregnant. Their friends suggest that an anonymous
donor is probably the way to go, but Lucie wants the father to be someone she
knows and trusts. After a lengthy and headache-inducing search, the couple
finally settles on Hugo (Gregory Fitouissi), an old friend of Marion's. As the
attempted pregnancy begins, Lucie and Marie deal with the increasingly
frustrating reactions of their friends and family.

The Evidence

I imagine that I am not the only American who has always imagined the French
as being far more socially progressive than the good old U.S. of A. They sit
around drinking wine, reading esteemed literature, and having orgies, right? All
kidding aside, the country is often regarded as being more liberal and
open-minded, but The New World would suggest otherwise. This film paints
a portrait of France suggesting that it is equally closed-minded when it comes
to the subject of homosexuality, and perhaps even more restrictive in some
respects. The film misfires nearly as often as it hits, but at its best it
manages to be a compelling portrait of a lesbian relationship and the many
social struggles surrounding it.

Lucie has a job working at a local elementary school. She has absolutely no
doubts about her own sexuality or the relationship that she is in, but she makes
every attempt to hide the fact that she is a lesbian from her co-workers. Marion
attempts to give her a quick kiss when she picks Lucie up from work, but Lucie
jerks her head back nervously. "Not here," she gasps, "As far as
the educational system is concerned, if you're a homosexual you must be some
sort of pedophile." When co-workers mention hunky guys that just might be
available, Lucie offers variations on, "Sorry, I'm washing my
hair."

Both women come from families that disapprove of their behavior. Marion's
mother is the most open about her opinions. "Children should not be raised
by two women," she insists. "A child needs a father and mother. Not
two mothers. It's unnatural and sacrilegious." She also raises her eyebrows
when she finds out that Lucie is pregnant rather than Marion. "You're not
the father or the mother," she sniffs. "You're not anything. What are
you?" Marion pretends to shrug such suggestions off, but they do affect
her. One of the film's more moving scenes occurs when she tells Lucie of her
fears about not being a "real mother" to the child. Lucie's family has
always claimed that they were absolutely supportive of her lesbian relationship,
but everyone balks upon hearing the news that she will be having a child.
"Wait a minute," her father protests, "You committed to the idea
of being different and leading a different lifestyle. Why are you trying to
conform and be like a straight person by having a baby?"

Perhaps the most intriguing subplot in the film is the one involving Hugo.
He's a nice guy, but he insists that his role in the child's life will be a
limited one. He will allow the child to see him, but says that Lucie and Marion
should not expect him to be an active father to the child. Once the child is
actually born, things change. Hugo decides he wants to play a major role and be
a real dad, which leaves Marion feeling sidelined and abandoned. This scenario
leads to some particularly interesting moments, most notably one in which a man
who works for an adoption agency informs Marion that she will have no legal
rights whatsoever unless she can prove that she has been with Lucie for at least
15 years. "It's not that way for heterosexuals," Marion insists.
"That's irrelevant," the man replies coolly.

The Rebuttal Witnesses

First of all, the transfer is absolutely terrible. Not only is it presented
in non-anamorphic widescreen (seriously, way too many modern DVD releases are
getting this treatment), but it just looks awful in almost every way. Color
bleeding is a problem throughout, the level of detail is so poor that it seems
as if the film could have been pulled off Youtube, flesh tones are
off…it's a mess. Audio is also somewhat troublesome, as the music is often
cranked up too loud in contrast to the dialogue. What awful music, too…one
piece is an absolutely shameless rip of Quincy Jones' "Soul Bossa
Nova" that changes just enough notes to avoid copyright infringement. There
are no extras included on the disc.

As for the film itself, my biggest problems come from the frequent attempts
to insert wacky comedy into what is primarily a serious film. There are several
scenes here that are painfully out of place, seemingly having wandered over from
a rejected television sitcom and inserted themselves into this film. There are
also several dramatic moments that simply push too hard. The film was originally
made for television in France, so perhaps it is to be expected that it
occasionally feels like a Made-for-TV film (complete with predictable
developments around almost every corner).

Closing Statement

Though the story may hit familiar beats at certain points and miss beats
entirely at other moments, overall it works reasonably well. The terrible
transfer prevents me from recommending a purchase, though, so a rental is the
most I can suggest.